Brewing Great Coffee.

[Dave70]

Short of forking out a grand plus on a De Longhi or similar, can one achieve good results using just a coffee grinder and french press, or do you realy need the pressure of a machine to get it right? - and to that end, is there a specific type of bean to use with this method?
Obviously it has to be fresh, but I've heard it said that the secret is in the grind, is that true?

I dont know why, but my brews allways wind up a little, to a lot bitter - not helped by the fact that I don't take sugar.

If you've got a method that works for you and / or favorite bean, please share.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Can't go past a stove top espresso unit (the little silver units). A couple of secrets, freshly ground beans, put hot water into base, don't boil the coffee once it has passed through the spout.

Cheers SJ

 

[Eater]

From what i remember from the days of selling espresso machines to the public:

12 bar of pressure required to extract good oils from the beans (most machines in a goods store will have this as a proud fact if they do do it)
Grind and tamp (packing it into the scoop that gets screwed onto the block) is critical for for correct pressure and flow
If you are a milk taker, frothing using steam wand is good for assuring correct milk temp when added to the coffee, dual block (heaters) in a unit help to maintain this heat and pressure whilst brew is being made. (ensure you clean milk frothing wand as well, otherwise very yucky coffee)
Practice Practice Practice with your equipment as much as possible before forking out for an upgrade.

My favourite bean would be any of the "High altitude" arabica beans ground using a good grinder from sunbeam and made in a sunbeam unit (no I dont work for nor endorse their product any more than any other, its just whats available in the kitchen atm and seems to work well)

French press gives me random results, all comes down to how much steeping time before the plunge, how good a seal the mesh makes in the plunge container, heat from the work kitchen rapid boiler and how fast i press the plunger depending on resistance by the coffee/water at the time of plunge.

 

[JestersDarts]

Can't go past a stove top espresso unit (the little silver units). A couple of secrets, freshly ground beans, put hot water into base, don't boil the coffee once it has passed through the spout.

Cheers SJ

This is my favourite way. I find a smidge of salt in with the beans will also bring out the flavour.

I pull the pot off the heat as soon as it has filled,
remember: "boiled hot, bitter pot"

 

[razz]

I use a Saeco Via Venezia. I got it for $370 as a demo from a coffee supplier in Mornington. It makes great coffee but I guess it goes with out saying that you need good beans to make good coffee. I grind mine just before use, the only way to go! The best part about using a machine is stopping the espresso just as the coffee starts to "blonde" no bitterness. I drink mine as a triple shot espresso with sugar.

 

[MeLoveBeer]

Can't go past a stove top espresso unit (the little silver units). A couple of secrets, freshly ground beans, put hot water into base, don't boil the coffee once it has passed through the spout.

+1

Picked up a good stove top and grinder about a year ago from a good little italian deli and haven't looked back.

 

[Dave70]

Can't go past a stove top espresso unit (the little silver units). A couple of secrets, freshly ground beans, put hot water into base, don't boil the coffee once it has passed through the spout.

Cheers SJ

So one of these jiggers with a nice slow heat is the go?

How fine should you grind the beans, say like coarse sand?

 

[Supra-Jim]

Thats tyhe jigger, i believe they are also known as Moka pots.

just slightly coarser than you would for an espresso machine. Essentially if your finding grit or sludge getting through into the top section, you need to adjust and grind a little coarser.

Adding hot water reduces the time the ground coffee is exposed to heat and you get a less bitter brew.

Also don't try to under-fill it to make less coffee, it won't work very well.

Cheers SJ

 

[Munut]

I found with the moka pot the harder you pack the coffee in the more bitter it becomes. Requiers more pressure to get through the coffee and more heat to create the pressure. As you use it you'll get the hang of how tight to pack it in and will have very good results with very simple equipment.

 

[Fourstar]

ALWAYS buy the best beans and in quantities you will use quickly when making at home, this should never be compromised. i like to buy in 250 or 500g bags. they hare commercially sealed with 1 way valves so they store for a while while unopened if you want to buy a few varieites in 250g lots.

For what you get it looks expensive but per cup it costs you nothing. After all, you would spend more buying it from a cafe.

Coffee - Jasper Coffee - http://www.jaspercoffee.com/

I recommend East timor Maubisse or Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Buy fairtrade and buy organic, that extra 2$ a kilo wont kill you.


Apparantly the Bialetti Mukka are a good consumer compromise if you dont want a machine and still push decent crema. you can also use it as a 1 pot wonder for cappuccinos.

i use a crappy sunbeam cafe crema espresso machine (unsure of model # at the moment) which i will upgrade to something better in the near future. either way it currently pushes decent espresso and i always grind my beans fresh before using and store them in an airtight container in the freezer once the packet is opened. Not to coarse, not too fine. I grind somwhere in the ballpark of table and castor sugar granules. Powder is too fine for espresso. For a stove top you would be looking at the size you get in the pre-ground lavazza packets in the supermarket. i believe thats what they are ground for, stovetop and french press.

Also when using a machine tamping (how hard you press) will effect the extraction.

 

[warra48]

Is there such a thing as great coffee? :huh:

Now, on the other hand, great tea, made with real leaf tea, that's something different. :blink: :wub:

 

[reviled]

So one of these jiggers with a nice slow heat is the go?

How fine should you grind the beans, say like coarse sand?

Used one of these at the FIL's the other day, great little unit, way better than my trusty plunger at home :unsure:

Where do you get these things from? And how much do they go for? Keen to get one for myself!

 

[MeLoveBeer]

Used one of these at the FIL's the other day, great little unit, way better than my trusty plunger at home :unsure:

Where do you get these things from? And how much do they go for? Keen to get one for myself!

Try Italian deli's (they generally have a decent range). Prices range significantly based on size and quality, but as a general idea mine cost about $120 and is a top of the range 12 cup unit (you can get a decent one for heaps cheaper).

 

[Quintrex]

Used one of these at the FIL's the other day, great little unit, way better than my trusty plunger at home :unsure:

Where do you get these things from? And how much do they go for? Keen to get one for myself!

If you are going to get a stovetop, i recommend spending the little bit extra and getting a stainless one. No metallic taste, that I find i get using the aluminium ones and it'll last a lot longer.

Check out ebay to get one for a reasonable price.

Cheers
Q

 

[Supra-Jim]

reviled, you should be able to grab them at most homeware stores. The basic small ones go for around $20 mark (pretty much in line with the pricing for a french press!)

Cheers SJ

 

[Fourstar]

reviled, you should be able to grab them at most homeware stores.

I read that has hardware store and was like. :blink:

 

[reviled]

Mean cheers guys, so whats it called exactly? lol

Just a stovetop espresso?

 

[MeLoveBeer]

Just a stovetop espresso?

Yeh, they'll know what you mean.

 

[outbreak]

I agree with the recomendations of the stove top. Get good beans and only grind as much as you need. If you are in Melbourne get your beans from places like Padre Coffee in East Brunswick or from Brother Bubba Budan on Little Collins. If you want to order off the net 5 Senses have good beans. Don't buy your beans from the supermarket.......

Supermarket beans is equiv to using out of date Kit extract.
Freshly fround beans is equiv to using freshly cracked malted grains.

As with beer brewing, water is important, a small water filter jug will do wonders for the taste.

You can get a manual grinder from somewhere like http://www.thingscoffee.com.au/ (no affiliation) which will do you for now.

Once your pallate matures you can get yourself one of these (see below). Combine a Japanese siphon with fresh single origin beans and a bit of practise and you will be in coffee heaven. I would rather use brew methods for my coffee at home and leave the espresso to when i go to a cafe.

The world of coffee is like the world of brewing, full of cool shiny expensive stuff.

 

[reviled]

Yeh, ive just been rolling precrushed Robert Harris coffee and using the french press, which is still heaps better than instant but not quite there if ya know what I mean?

So far Ethiopian beans have been my fave, strong coffee is a must B)